Three experts break down what it takes to make partner training measurable, engaging, and wildly effective.
Channel partner training isn’t new—but doing it well? That’s still a competitive advantage.
In a recent panel discussion titled From Product Knowledge to Partner Revenue: Lessons from the Field, three seasoned experts—Brett Strauss (NetExam), Jeff Campbell (Incentli), and Dan Montgomery (MontArra Consulting)—shared what they’ve learned helping companies transform partner learning into measurable business growth.
If your organization offers channel training but isn’t seeing real-world sales impact, this conversation is worth your attention.
Here’s a recap of the most important takeaways across the three key themes: measurement, motivation, and meaningful content.
Part 1: Measuring Impact – Proving the ROI of Partner Training
Start with outcomes. Not outputs.
Brett Strauss kicked things off by breaking down how to measure training success at three levels:
- Individual performance – Are learners completing the training? Are they mastering the material or just checking the box?
- Partner organization adoption – Are enough people within a partner org actually engaging?
- Sales impact – The real metric: Did the training result in increased sales?
As Brett put it, “They might ace the test, but if their numbers don’t move, you’ve got a content problem.”
To get there, you need to link your LMS to real sales data—like through a partner relationship management (PRM) system—and run before/after comparisons.
Dan Montgomery added that this requires forethought. Too many companies launch training without a measurement plan. His advice? Build a data strategy from the start, so you can not only adjust content as needed but also demonstrate ROI to senior leadership and justify more investment.
Part 2: Incentives & Gamification – Boosting Adoption and Engagement
You can’t force training—but you can make people want it.
Jeff Campbell explained why so many training programs stall: they lack visibility, don’t feel relevant, and aren’t supported across the company.
His solution? Treat training as part of your go-to-market strategy, not just an L&D task. And that means incentives.
Jeff outlined three pillars of an effective incentivized program:
- Acquisition – Reward behaviors like signing up, referring others, or exploring new content.
- Engagement – Use virtual currency, gamification, and tiered rewards to drive course completions and repeat participation.
- Advocacy – Encourage trained partners to share testimonials and social proof, amplifying reach and trust.
The results? One client scaled from 300 to over 50,000 global partners—and added tens of millions in revenue—all fueled by incentive-driven engagement.
Part 3: The Science of Engagement – What Actually Makes Content Work
It’s not just about having content. It’s about having the right content.
Dan Montgomery identified four key ingredients of high-impact partner training:
- ✅ Interactivity – Use quizzes, polls, and simulations to drive and assess engagement.
- 🎮 Gamification – Leaderboards and points systems provide motivation and track progress.
- 🎥 Format variety – Videos, microlearning, and visually rich materials keep learners interested.
- 🔄 Accessibility and feedback – Training should be easy to access and responsive to learner feedback.
Brett Strauss emphasized microlearning and “learning in the flow of work,” such as embedded help in SaaS apps or 30-second training videos triggered contextually. “People are used to TikTok. Don’t give them a three-hour PowerPoint,” he joked (but he’s right).
And beyond product info, both Brett and Dan noted a shift: companies are now providing general sales training to help partners improve their core selling skills—an investment that pays off regardless of product.
Bottom Line: Good Training Doesn’t Just Inform. It Transforms.
If your partner enablement strategy is built on long-form content, limited analytics, and passive participation, it’s time to rethink the playbook.
✅ Measure the right things. Completions and quiz scores are helpful—but sales impact is the north star.
✅ Motivate with purpose. Incentives give reps a reason to engage and a story to share.
✅ Modernize your content. Make it fast, flexible, and focused on outcomes.
As Jeff summed up, “Mind share = Market share = Revenue.”
Want to turn your channel training into a competitive advantage?
Take a lesson from the field—and make your partner education strategy one that actually sells.
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